Berwyn resident robbed after traffic accident

A Berwyn man was beaten and robbed after a minor traffic accident near the intersection of Austin Boulevard and the Eisenhower Expressway about 1:20 a.m. on Dec. 3. The driver was involved in an accident with a dark sedan and exited his vehicle. Several men and women exited the other vehicle and began yelling profanities at the man. They then hit him several times and stole his Samsung Galaxy S8 cellphone. The offenders then re-entered their vehicle and fled eastbound on the expressway. The estimated loss is $600.

Burglary

A residence in the 1000 block of North Elmwood was burglarized around 5:20 p.m. on Nov. 27. The burglar gained entry by forcing open the rear door. Once inside, a front door key that had been left in the lock on the inside of the front door was removed. The estimated loss is $550.

A garage was burglarized in the 600 block of North Wisconsin sometime between noon on Dec. 1 and 10 a.m. on Dec. 2. The burglar entered through an unlocked side service door and stole an REI Novara Corsa bicycle and a Jamis Hybrid bicycle. The estimated loss is $700.

A business in the 800 block of North Harlem Avenue was burglarized sometime between 1 p.m. on Nov. 25 and 12:20 p.m. on Nov. 27. The offender used a pry tool to defeat the rear door lock and gain entry. Once inside, the interior was ransacked and approximately 40 pairs of shoes, 50 shirts, 15 hoodies, 10 jackets and multiple Xbox video games were stolen. The estimated loss is $25,000.

Theft

Two decorative scarecrows were taken from the front porch of a residence in the 300 block of South Humphrey Avenue at 5:24 p.m. on Nov. 28. The estimated loss is $40.

A package containing Option Care 60 Grams prescription medication was taken from an unsecured common area in the lobby of a building in the 400 block of South Grove sometime between 2:20 and 5:45 p.m. on Nov. 16. The estimated loss is $500.

An unattended package containing a five-piece luggage set was stolen from the common area of a building in the 500 block of South Austin Boulevard sometime between 1 and 5 p.m. on Nov. 29. The estimated loss is $53.

An 18-year-old Cicero man, from the 1300 block of South 48th Court, was arrested after an investigation revealed he removed two pieces of mail from a mailbox in the 600 block of South Harvey. The man was taken into custody at 9:55 a.m. on Dec. 1.

A vehicle was the target of an attempted theft in the 100 block of South Boulevard sometime between 7:15 a.m. and noon on Nov. 27. The thief broke the rear window of the vehicle and stole a starter ignition by means of a pry tool. The estimated loss is $800.

A vehicle that was reported stolen at 11:17 a.m. on Nov. 26 from the 700 block of Lyman was recovered parked in the 1100 block of South Lombard at 11:51 p.m. on Nov. 27. No apprehensions were made.

Criminal damage to vehicle

Two vehicles in the 800 block of North Humphrey were damaged sometime between 11:59 a.m. on Nov. 28 and 7:34 a.m. on Nov. 29. A projectile-type object was used to damage the rear passenger window on the first vehicle and the front and rear passenger side windows on the second vehicle. The estimated loss due to damage is $550.

A vehicle was damaged in the 600 block of North Lombard Avenue sometime between 11 p.m. on Nov. 28 and 7 a.m. on Nov. 29. The offender used an unknown projectile to break the front driver's side window. The estimated loss due to damage is $200.

These items, obtained from the Oak Park and River Forest police departments, came from reports, Nov. 16-Dec. 3, and represent a portion of the incidents to which police responded. Anyone named in these reports has only been charged with a crime and cases have not yet been adjudicated. We report the race of a suspect only when a serious crime has been committed, the suspect is still at large, and police have provided us with a detailed physical description of the suspect as they seek the public's help in making an arrest.

Brian Slowiak, you were a 30 year Police Officer and maybe I don't understand correctly what you wrote although it seems you are implying that if the public knows what race's all 3 of the individuals were, then some how you just go out and pick up the race's of the two remaining individuals.

Brian Slowiak Facebook Verified

Posted: December 12th, 2017 1:19 PM

Just for the sake of argument, suppose the perpetrator reads the WJ story and he/she sees their race is not mentioned. Would they be emboldened to return because their race is not mentioned? Say a white guy stuck up the store, his race is not mentioned, would he assume the cops would be looking for a black guy and come back knowing he can hide behind race?? Just asking.

Tommy McCoy

Posted: December 12th, 2017 11:32 AM

Paul Robert, everyone knows why you want the race mentioned. It is obvious that most crime is committed by individuals who have no way to get money. Your comment does no one any good. If you have some thing to help prevent things like this from happening, then help Maybe you can suggest after certain hours the door has an electronic door opener on it to let the clerk decide if a person or person's seem to be suspicious

Paul Robert from NE-OH-PEE Facebook Verified

Posted: December 12th, 2017 11:21 AM

Let's just hope the official report includes the ethnicity of the suspects. Keep your fingers crossed ladies and gents

Tommy McCoy

Posted: December 12th, 2017 11:14 AM

Nick Polido, this was very unfortunate for everyone involved

Nick Polido Facebook Verified

Posted: December 12th, 2017 8:56 AM

7-Eleven employee shoots suspect during armed robbery attempt in Oak Park last night, this should not be construed as a unique issue to Oak Park but just some travelling hoodlums who randomly choose Oak Park... , didn't mean to jump the gun on this...will wait for the investigative journalist to confirm this...

Ramona Lopez Facebook Verified

Posted: December 9th, 2017 12:24 PM

LOL and Mr. Robert, you continue to troll.

Tommy McCoy

Posted: December 8th, 2017 8:35 PM

Jason Cohen, if you want a home security system, you can buy them and people can sit at work all day and look on their cell phones what is going on at home. There are many things that can help although it is expensive to have everything. The best way that a community can reduce crime is awareness. You call Police, and if you aren't able to figure out when some one is suspicious, and maybe the person isn't although if you think they are, call the Police. Think of it as adding at least 20 thousand additional Patrol Officer's on the street to monitor suspicious activity and suspicious vehicles. For more on what makes some one seem suspicious, arrange a discussion with your neighborhood Officer

Paul Cagnina Facebook Verified

Posted: December 8th, 2017 7:35 PM

I agree with Ramona Lopez. The race of the perpetrators should be disclosed. What is the harm to the residents of Oak Park if the race is not disclosed? On the flip side, what is the benefit of the Oak Park resident if the perpetrators race is disclosed? No harm, all benefit. In addition, I'm sure all these criminals can't all be black. ( like everyone thinks) if the media doesn't disclose the criminal is black, the media "CAN'T" disclose if they are white. If the media doesn't disclose "ALL" the important details, the media isn't doing all they could do to protect the community and keep it safe. I have a suspicion the newspaper is being told by some official"s" at city hall not to print the race. The newspaper knows bettter.

Jason Cohen Facebook Verified

Posted: December 8th, 2017 3:20 PM

There's only one reason to ask about race and that's to go to the next step and talk about why the police should profile based on race more. It's not going to help solve any crimes. If there was a picture of the perp then by all means post that but beyond that nobody is going to be safer based on some basic description. Let's use our time here talking about how we, as a community, can help the police stop crime before it starts. How about offering discounted ring cameras or motion floodlights to residents? Set aside $250k to help homeowners make their homes/property less criminal friendly.

Mike Hanline Facebook Verified

Posted: December 8th, 2017 12:04 PM

The ethnicity of a perpetrator in the absence of any other identifying information IS largely irrelevant unless you live in a homogeneously white region like Montana where it would significantly narrow down the list of possible suspects. In this case, it sounds like Ramona is less concerned with a detailed description of the perpetrators as she is with everyone knowing that they were indeed black.

Paul Robert from NE-OH-PEE Facebook Verified

Posted: December 8th, 2017 11:49 AM

She's still commenting, lol.

Tommy McCoy

Posted: December 8th, 2017 10:46 AM

Ramona Lopez, if any or all of those incidents that you described happened to you, you may find counseling with the right person to be much more helpful then wanting to know the race of each crime. It would not benefit you if I let you know how many times and I am not sure if you would call each incident being a victim, although there was more then the usual amount that people go through

Ramona Lopez Facebook Verified

Posted: December 8th, 2017 8:20 AM

Mr. Robert, You sound like someone who has never been the victim of a crime. If you were thrown down the stairs at the blue line and hit over your head for your laptop and purse, or if you were sexually assaulted in the alley behind your home, I have a hunch that you would think differently. I am very familiar with Austin. I have lived on the south east end of Oak Park for over 20 years. If you think the ethnicity of a perpetrator is irrelevant, then you sir are delusional.

Ramona Lopez Facebook Verified

Posted: December 8th, 2017 8:13 AM

I would suggest the following if you want to really know what;s going on in Oak Park. You will see many serious crimes on this website that are not reported in the Journal. https://patch.com/illinois/oakpark/police-fire

Bruce Kline Facebook Verified

Posted: December 7th, 2017 10:42 PM

Hey Ramona, I kind of agree with you. I often have the same frustrations. Mr. Haley, as you point out owns the WJ. Like you say: his paper, his rules. And often time I find his paper and rules inane and ludicrous and his editorials sophomoric with his usual "self righteous" "holier than though" "I know more than you" attitude. His childish, sexist and disgraceful personal attack on then trustee candidate Boutet, last election, serves as a prime example of what I am talking about. That said he does, through the WJ and particularly this FREE website uphold a classic and iconic American tradition: the free and open discussion of ideas - the so called market place of ideas. And it is this market place that is so essential to a free and vital Republic. All of this in keeping with the foundational First Amendment. And for that, despite everything else, I am grateful to Mr. Haley. He through his local enterprise - and particularly this site ?" despite everything, performs an enormous public service for our community.

Paul Robert from NE-OH-PEE Facebook Verified

Posted: December 7th, 2017 8:06 PM

"Accurate crime data." You must not be familiar with the Austin area. In any case, including the ethnicity of the perpetrator(s) is irrelevant. It's not that deep. Get over yourself.

Ramona Lopez Facebook Verified

Posted: December 7th, 2017 5:20 PM

Mr. Cohen, If you read my entire post, you would have seen that I will continue to look elsewhere for accurate crime data. Obviously, if the mission of the journal is to only make people "aware" of things, then yes. Mission accomplished. That is the sad standard of journalism we accept today.

Jason Cohen Facebook Verified

Posted: December 7th, 2017 2:28 PM

Ramona, are you a private detective or something? Do you think some very basic description is going to matter. What's the value of having this info? I can't see any. I am sure the records are public from the police so if you care that much get it from them. The paper is reporting this info for awareness not so we can solve the crime. Mission accomplished.

Tommy McCoy

Posted: December 7th, 2017 2:27 PM

Ramona Lopez, you never asked what the description of the vehicle that the offenders fled in

Ramona Lopez Facebook Verified

Posted: December 7th, 2017 1:41 PM

Mr. Haley, Thank you for creating a rule that permits YOU to decide what is considered a "serious" crime and permits YOU to decide if the description given by the police has sufficient details. Oh well, YOUR paper, YOUR rules. I'll continue to look elsewhere for accurate crime data.

Dan Haley from Wednesday Journal Wednesday Journal Employee

Posted: December 7th, 2017 11:26 AM

Wednesday Journal has a policy on when we use racial identification in reporting incidents of crime. It is in the italic type at the foot of the story above. It is at the foot of the crime report every week. We do our best to follow this policy though I'd acknowledge it is somewhat subjective when it comes to determining if the description provided by police is detailed enough to be useful in identifying a person. You can agree or disagree with our policy. But the policy is not secret and it is the basis on which we make judgments.

Mike Hanline Facebook Verified

Posted: December 7th, 2017 10:45 AM

I have mixed feelings about this. Does it really matter whether they report the race of the suspects without any further identifying information? If WJ reports that they were black, is that really going to help anyone finger these suspects? Or is it just going to make some people even more suspicious of black people in general?

Ramona Lopez Facebook Verified

Posted: December 7th, 2017 9:34 AM

Evidently, Mr. Paul Robert believes that when a journalist reports criminal activity a description of the alleged perpetrator is a very minor detail that if overlooked is more than acceptable. I wonder if he would feel the same way if HE was the victim. I'm guessing not.

Paul Robert from NE-OH-PEE Facebook Verified

Posted: December 7th, 2017 8:33 AM

On today's episode of "What are we fake outraged at today?" we have our guest, Ramona Lopez

Kline Maureen Facebook Verified

Posted: December 6th, 2017 5:52 PM

Are we just supposed to guess what race the scarecrows were? Again, the WJ omits an important fact in their report.

Chris Carrier Facebook Verified

Posted: December 6th, 2017 5:42 PM

I think the decorative scarecrows were stolen by an impatient neighbor.

Ramona Lopez Facebook Verified

Posted: December 6th, 2017 9:16 AM

Why no description of the criminals that stole the phone from the Berwyn resident? There is obviously an eyewitness. Again, the journal is so PC they won't even describe a criminal when they beat someone up and rob them. Just shows how bias the editor is.

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